Bob Vila Radio: Faux Painting

If you’re ready to go a step further than a simple coat of paint to personalize your home, try faux finishing.

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Listen to BOB VILA ON FAUX PAINTING, or read text below:

Faux, or false, finishes were developed centuries ago to imitate elegant materials like marble, silk, leather, and precious minerals on walls and furniture while skipping the expense.

Most faux painting techniques are variations on the same process. After you lay down a base color and it dries, you add a coat of tinted glaze and tool it with the right implement for the effect you want: combs and feathers for woodgraining, rags and brushes for marbling, or even sponges and shredded cardboard for malachite.

Soften any hard lines with a badger brush, then Add veins, details or stippling last, and seal with a coat of polyurethane to protect your hard work. You’ll want to try out your paint recipes and techniques on practice boards first.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 60 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening—or reading—to Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.
For more on finishes, consider: